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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Jenn Ettinger, 202-265-1490 x 35

Public Interest Groups Call on FCC to Combine Review of AT&T Acquisitions

On Wednesday, Free Press, Media Access Project, Public Knowledge, Consumers Union and the Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to combine its review of AT&T's $39 billion takeover of competitor T-Mobile with its evaluation of AT&T's $1.9 billion spectrum purchase from Qualcomm.

Click here to view the letter: https://www.freepress.net/files/Qualcomm_Consolidation_Filing.pdf

WASHINGTON

On Wednesday, Free Press, Media Access Project, Public Knowledge, Consumers Union and the Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to combine its review of AT&T's $39 billion takeover of competitor T-Mobile with its evaluation of AT&T's $1.9 billion spectrum purchase from Qualcomm.

Click here to view the letter: https://www.freepress.net/files/Qualcomm_Consolidation_Filing.pdf

In today's letter, the groups note that even greater harm will be generated if AT&T is permitted to acquire T-Mobile, and they ask the FCC either to promptly deny the transfer of Qualcomm licenses or, at a minimum, to consolidate the review of the two proposed acquisitions.The groups previously filed a formal petition to deny in the Qualcomm proceeding, arguing that AT&T already holds disproportionate market power and prime spectrum licenses.

The public interest groups made the following joint statement:

"The proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile would reshape the entire American wireless industry in a single stroke. Combined with the proposed transfer of Qualcomm spectrum licenses, approval of these transactions would further enable AT&T to suppress competition, stifle innovation and harm consumers. At a minimum, the FCC should combine its review of both the merger and license transfer in order to properly assess the joint impact of both transactions on the wireless market."

Free Press was created to give people a voice in the crucial decisions that shape our media. We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what's actually happening in their communities.

(202) 265-1490